THIS IS WHY I CONSCIOUSLY AVOIDED TRYING TO HELPING HER

The many witnesses to the accident did not dare to touch the queen, a capital offense—not even to save her life.

This reminds me of a situation I encountered with a female Muslim friend(ALHAJA as they are popularly called here).
It was one of those Saturday's we normally meet at school during lectures, my friend had just answered a question from the lecturer, while attempting to sit on her seat(which was next to mine)... SHE FELL DOWN ON THE FLOOR... OMG!

I was confused, I was unsettled, should I help her up? 'I can't help her...it's not allowed' I said to myself. Within a short period of time a lot of things had flashed through my mind... Alhaja does not accept a handshake from me. The first and last time I tried giving her a handshake she told that it was prohibited in her religion(Islam) for men to touch or shake hands with a female Muslim, since then I had never made any conscious attempt to touch or shake Alhaja or any female Muslim(I have respect for people's religion, culture and tradition).

'I will not tempt her into breaking her tradition/belief', I said to myself. I was bleeding inside as I deliberately and consciously avoided trying to help her up, I stood there with pain in me as I watched a lady came up and assisted her up. I put myself together and asked her, 'hope you're fine', she replied, 'yes, I am fine', I smiled Pretending all was okay. I wasn't myself as I sat next to her till the end of the class.

It's an experience that I'm still finding difficult to describe.
How will you describe my action:

RESPECT FOR THE FAITH/BELIEF/TRADITION OF MY FRIEND

                                             OR

                              MENTAL SLAVERY

What will you call that?